History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men, Part 9

Author: Woodward, E. M. (Evan Morrison) cn; Hageman, John Frelinghuysen
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1096

USA > New Jersey > Burlington County > Burlington > History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men > Part 9
USA > New Jersey > Mercer County > History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men > Part 9

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Somewhere about 1810.to 1815, the itinerant min- isters of the traveling connection, or, in other words, the regular ministers of the Conference, began to visit the towu. The congregations were small and com- posed principally of females. The men spent their Sundays mostly in gunning, fishing, or some out-door amusements, and consequently were seldom found in attendanee upon divine worship. But one and an- other came in to their assemblies, and they gradually inereased, until iu 1821 a house of worship, thirty-five by forty-five, of plain, substantial briek, on Main Street, now Farnsworth Avenue, was erected.

The house is still standing, and oeenpied by Mr. Bunting Hankins as a drug dispensary.

The temporal means of the congregation were en- tirely inadequate to the construction of the building, and a number of zealous lady members visited Phila- delphia, Baltimore, New York, and other plaecs for the purpose of obtaining assistance. This was given sparingly, often but a few pennies at a time, but their perseverance triumphed over the difficulties, and the house was completed and paid for, and for many years afterwards the society had a prosperous history.

Its deed of incorporation bears date Feb. 7, 1824, about three years after the church edifice was erected, and has the names of Ezekiel Robbins, Moore Ed- wards, Caleb Warren, Robert Idell, and Staten Jefferies as trustees.

During their oeeupancy of this house a parsonage was ereeted. The itinerant plan of ministry adopted . by the denomination made it difficult to rent houses, and wherever the society eould build one it was done.

This one was built on a lot on Church Street, be- tween Main and Second, purchased Oet. 3, 1837 ( forty by eighty-seven), of Alexander D. Carman and wife for two hundred and twenty dollars, and deeded to Ezekiel Robbins, Allen Thompson, Moore Edwards, Robert Idell, and Staten Jefferies as trustees. This house was oeeupied as a ministerial residence until the pastorate of Rev. C. H. Whitecar, when the present house on Prinee Street, by the depot, was procured from Capt, Shippen for four thousand five hundred dollars, and which is still used for that purpose, and is one of the most convenient and agreeable locations, both in house and grounds, in the entire Conference. The lot on which the church edifice was ereeted had been obtained from Samuel Lovell, and was undoubt- edly conveyed in good faith. But it was afterwards

1. By Rev. A. E. Ballard.

150

HISTORY OF BURLINGTON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

shown to have been entailed property, of which he ate. He is still remembered as an able defender of owned one-half the fee, with a life right in the remainder. . Methodistie doctrine. After his death his heirs sued for the property, which Following him in 1842-43 was Rev. J. M. Tuttle, of whom we have previously spoken in connection with the preparation for the present housc. had now become valuable, proved the title to have been defective, allowed a trifle for the improvements, and took possession of the property.

After a considerable delay the present loeation in Church Street was fixed upon, and a lot sixty by ninety was purchased of Mary Oliver for five hundred dollars, whose deed to the corporation is dated May 11, 1844.

In the erection of their house the pressure of dis- couragement was added to that of poverty. As in the case of the first temple, they were utterly unable to build a suitable edifice. Rev. Mr. Tuttle, the last preceding pastor, had obtained help from abroad, and the trustees made what preparation they eould at home. On the removal of Mr. Tuttle, in the spring of 1844, Rev. W. P. Corbit was appointed to the charge, and led the way in vigorously prosecuting the enter- prise, which was soon carried on to completion, and dedieated by Rev. Charles Pitman. The house is of pressed briek, neat and substantial, and at that day ranked among the best in the denomination. It is forty-five by seventy, with basement, class-rooms, and galleries. Mueh of the labor and material were con- tributed, so that the actual money cost of the enter- prise was but four thousand five hundred dollars. The trustees at that time were Robert Idell, John S. Hankins, David T. Levins, Whitall Stokes, Joseph Norris, and John Osmond.

Until 1832 Bordentown was an appointment on Trenton Cireuit, then for three years on Crosswieks, after which, in 1835, it was set off as a station, and Rev. J. Leonard Gilder appointed pastor. The mem- bership numbered one hundred and eighteen, but were so poor as to be unable to support him, and at the end of the year he asked for a relcase. It was then pro- posed to return the charge to the circuit, which was vigorously opposed by Rev. J. S. Porter. It is said that he was asked if he would be willing to go to it. Mr. (now Dr.) Porter was one of the most popular ministers in the denomination, but he unhesitatingly replied, "Yes, if it is best." He was aeeordingly, in 1836-37, sent there. He received less than two hun- dred and fifty dollars per year for the two years he was pastor, but under his judieious management a parsonage was built and the society placed in a mueh better eundition than ever before. Dr. Porter is still living, although retired from the charge of a church, in the enjoyment of a vigorous old age, residing at present in Burlington, and reeently occupied the pulpit of the church, and preached in a style which demonstrated that the years have not dimmed his early fire.

In 1838-39, Rev. A. K. Street was pastor. He also had a successful pastorate, and the church increased under his administration.

In 1840-41, Rev. J. H. Dowdy occupied the pastor-

Next came in 1844-45, Rev. W. P. Corbit, of whose serviecs we have also spoken.

In 1846, Rev. Mr. Sovereign served the church.

The next pastor was Rev. C. A. Lippincott (1847- 48), a man of great natural ability, and with wonder- ful though uncultivated power as an orator, whose ministry was attended with gratifying results.

In 1849-50, Rev. Wesley C. Robertsou had eharge of the society. His ministry was also attended with large revivals.

In 1851-52, Rev. J. H. MeFarland was preacher in charge.

In 1853-54, Rev. J. Saunders Corbit was pastor. He was a brother to W. P. Corbit, one of the earlier preachers, and was one of the wien of mark in the denomination.

In 1855-56, Rev. J. O. Rogers occupied the pulpit. He was of a genial nature, with large sympathies and social habits, and also a sweet and magnetie singer. It was said of him that if he could not preach a man into a belief of the gospel, he seldom failed to sing him into it. He was sueeeeded in 1857-58 by Rev. C. H. Whiteear, whose ministry was not only attended with sueecss, but who interested himself suceessfully in securing the commodious and elegant parsonage loeation still enjoyed by the ministers.

In 1859-60, Rev. R. A. Chalker presided over the congregation.

Iu 1861-62, Rev. J. W. Hickman became pastor. In 1863-64, Rev. E. H. Stokes was pastor.

Next to him in 1865-66 came Rev. C. E. Hill.

In 1867-69, Rev. W. Walton served the eongrega- tion.

In 1870-72, Rev. C. K. Fleming was pastor.

In 1873, Rev. G. R. Snyder was the next appointed to the eharge.

Iu 1874-75, Rev. G. C. Maddock took charge of the church interests.

In 1876, Rev. A. E. Ballard was appointed pastor of the ehureh, to whom the historian is indebted for the foregoing history of the ehureh which he so faith- fully served.

The Trinity Methodist Episcopal Church.1-This church was the outgrowth of a deeply-felt need of more extended church accommodations. In the early part of the year 1867, during the pastorate of the Rev. Charles E. Hill, the membership of the only Meth- odist Episcopal Church in Bordentown had so multi- plied as very nearly to fill the church, leaving very little room for expansion. The necessity for more room impressed itself upon the minds of many of the leading members, and a meeting of the membership

1 By Rev. John H. Brakeley, Pb.D.

BORDENTOWN.

481

was called to consider the matter. All seemed to feel the imperative need of more room, and all save one were in favor of building a new church. A resolution . of the settlement of the late Bishop Doane at Bur- was accordingly offered and passed unanimously that lington. He celebrated the first service here Dec. 23, 1833, and continued to give occasional service through the winter. In his address to the Con- vention which assembled in the month of May fol- lowing he thus alludes to it: "Finding the people a new society be organized and a new church edifice be erected. And as the church and parsonage were virtually free from debt, and as those who were likely to engage in this new enterprise had contributed largely towards the purchase of the parsonage, the . there well disposed to the church, and desirous of inceting unanimously authorized the trustees to con- further acquaintances with her services, I continued to preach there throughout the winter on alternate Monday evenings, and had the pleasure to observe an increase in the favorable dispositions which were manifested at first." No service on the Lord's day had thus far been held. But on Sunday, the 23d of April, 1834, the Rev. Mr. Holmes, of Orange, N. J., officiated. The ministration is spoken of by the bishop as follows: " By the kindness of the Meth- odist congregation the use of their pulpit was offered, and Mr. Holmes' very acceptable ministrations were well attended." Before a clergyman was regularly settled, mission services were continued on alternate Sundays by the Rev. Dr. Williams, the Rev. Mr. Hooker, and the bishop. tribute to the new enterprise the sum of three thou- 1 sand dollars, and to raise the same by mortgage on the parsonage. This sum was, however, by mutual con- sent afterwards reduced to two thousand dollars, which in due time was passed over to the new society in aid of its new enterprise. A call was made for those who were willing to engage in this new under- taking, and eighty persons responded. On the 4th of March, 1867, the society was organized and a board of trustecs clceted, consisting of John H. Brakeley, Whitall Stokes, James Tantum, Asher Brakeley, and Jacob E. Morton. The Rev. Edson W. Burr was ap- pointed by the Conference as its first pastor, and the city hall was secured as a place for worship, pending the erection of the new building. Prayer- and class- meetings were held in the Friends' meeting-house, courteously furnished for the purpose. A lot on the corner of Main (now Farnsworth Avenue) and West Streets was purchased, plans and specifications were prepared by Mr. H. E. Finch, architect, of Trenton, N. J., and a spacious building of Trenton brownstone erected; the main audience-room fronting on the avenue, forty-five by seventy-nine feet, with the chapel in the rear and fronting on West Street, forty- two by sixty-four fect, and a tower at the junction of the two buildings sixteen feet square. The chapel was completed and dedicated the latter part of De- cember, 1868. The entire cost up to this date was about thirty-five thousand dollars. Up to the time of dedication, and on that occasion there had been con- tributed and paid the sum of twenty-two thousand five hundred dollars, leaving an indebtedness of twelve thousand five hundred dollars. This indebt- edness has been reduced from year to year, until at present it is eight thousand dollars. The pastors of

In 1834 the Rev. Edwin Arnold, LL.D., an English clergyman, opened a boarding-school in Bordentown, and in connection with his labors as principal of the school conducted the services of the mission. A church edifice was then projected, as appears from his report : "One of the rooms of the academy (which is sufficiently large to contain one or two hundred persons) is at present used for divine ser- vice, but I trust before another conventional era the use of the school-room will have been superseded by the ercction of a church." At the organization of the congregation, in 1835, twelve families and fifteen communicants are reported. In the same year, April 15th, the first Episcopal visitation was made, when five persons received the rite of confirmation. A lii- tle square building having been erected in 1837, the Rev. Asa S. Colton, at present residing at Princeton, N. J., commenced ministrations on the 1st of May, 1838, and continued to officiate for one year. At this time the enterprise seems to have emerged from its formative condition, and although encumbered with the church, following each other in the order named, ; a small debt, there was a church building, supplied were Rev. Edson W. Burr, Rev. John E. Adams, Rev. ; Thomas H. Stockton, Rev, A. M. North, Rev. James Lavelle, and Rev. John Wilson.

In 1872 the membership of this church was one hundred and seventy-two.

with an organ and other appliances of worship, and the services were regularly conducted. A list of thirty communicants was reported.

Christ Church.1-Christ Church and the adjoining rectory are situated on Prince Street, between Church and Park Streets. The church edifice, erected in 1837, . chaplain of the United States navy by President was enlarged twice. A rear section, with vestry-room, was added in 1841, and in 1855 the front section, with tower and spire, completed the cdifice.

The Rev. John P. Lathrop entered upon the rector- ship in November, 1839, and during his incumbeney the rear section of the church was added. The rector, in the midst of encouraging labors, was appointed Tyler, but died suddenly before entering upon the duties of his new station. His remains were deposited beneath the chancel, and a suitable tablet was created by thic vestry to his memory upon the chancel wall. I His successor was the late Rev. R. H. B. Mitchell,

1 By Rev. Nathaniel Pettit.

The Episcopal congregation in Bordentown is com- paratively of recent origin, being one of the results

482

HISTORY OF BURLINGTON COUNTY, NEW JERSEY.

who took charge in 1844, and continued his ministra- tion for seven years.

The following clergymen succeeded in order :

Rev. Hannibal Goodwin, rector of the House of Prayer, Newark, N. J.

Rev. Edward A. Foggo, D.D., rector of Christ Church, Philadelphia.

Rev. J. W. Maxwell, rector of St. Luke's Church, Montclair, N. J.

Rev. Horace S. Bishop, rector of Christ Church, East Orange, N. J.

Rev. Samuel Cox, D.D., rector of Christ Church, Newtown, L. I.

The present rector, the Rev. Nathaniel Pettit, was instituted into the rectorship June 27, 1869, by Bishop Odenheimer.

The house and lot adjoining the church were pur- chased in 1866 by the late Henry Becket, Esq., then a member of the vestry, and presented to the parish for a rectory.

In the rear of the church lot is a cemetery, in which repose the remains of some who were connected with the parish at its first organization.

In 1867 a building fund was commenced, and stead- ily accumulated.

In 1879 the present magnificent brownstone struc- ture was erected.

St. Mary's Catholic Church.1-The Catholic Church in Bordentown had a very small beginning. We find no mention of divine service being held for the few scattered faithful previous to the year 1837. Before that time the Catholics were too few to have a permanent place of worship, and too poor to support a resident pastor. Besides this, the priests in those days were scarce. The missions or stations were many but the laborers were few, and not unfrequently did it happen that the shepherd was obliged to travel up- wards of fifty miles to attend to the spiritual wants of a dying member of his fold. Under such circum- stances how could the few scattered Catholics of Bor- dentown obtain a resident pastor, even though means were not wanting? We find them, then, betaking themselves to Trenton whenever divine service was to be held, and worshiping in the little unassuming building which may still be scen on the corner of Market and Lamberton Streets. This was the cradle of Catholicity in Trenton. The faithful who wor- shiped around its rude altar were numbered by tens; to-day they are counted by thousands. This was the parent church of the flourishing congregation of St. John's, whilst the magnificent structure of St. Mary's may be looked upon as the offspring of the latter, and St. Francis' and Our Lady of Lourdes may be prop- erly styled the children of both. It may with pro- priety, too, be called the mother-church of St. Mary's of Bordentown, for there our Catholic neighbors worshiped with their co-religionists of Trenton, were

instructed and strengthened in their faith, and fed with the spiritual food of their souls.

In the early days of Catholicity. West Jersey was part of the diocese of Philadelphia. At the time of which we write the Rt. Rev. Dr. Connell was Bi-hop of the See, and the Rt. Rev. Dr. Kendrick, coadjutor and administrator. Under the jurisdiction of the lat- ter divine service was held in Bordentown for the first time. This was in the month of October, 1837. The clergyman who came was no stranger to the people, for frequently did they listen to his words, and receive the sacrament from the hands of the good Father McGorien, in the little modest chapel at Trenton. Once a month did he visit his people at Bordentown and White Hill, officiating in private houses, as his congregation was then too poor to think of a perma- nent place of worship. He continued to minister to their wants till the year 1840, when his superiors called him to another field of labor.

His successor was Father Gilligan. It was during his administration that the thought was first broached of purchasing a plot of ground and erecting a small church upon it. Both pricst and people saw the necessity of this, as the congregation had somewhat increased, and private houses were no longer large enough to contain the worshiping faithful. More- over, there was every prospect of the mission growing larger from day to day. The population of the State was on the increase, and the many advantages arising from the public works would, no doubt, attract many · settlers, and induce them to make Bordentown their home. A lot was therefore purchased on the hill-top, at the southeastern corner of Second and Bank Streets, and a small frame structure erected for diviue service. This was in 1842. The little church was then thought sufficiently large for many years to come, but we may judge of the rapid growth of the mission when the immediate successor of Father Gilligan was obliged to enlarge the building to accommodate his increasing congregation. Father Gilligan labored here for four years, holding service but once a month, as the many other missions under his charge pre- vented his officiating more frequently.

After his departure in 1844 he was succeeded by the Rev. Father Mackin. Immediately after assuming charge the new pastor found it necessary to increase the sitting capacity of the church. Some might ab- sent themselves from divine services under the ples that there was no room; others again might excuse themselves, as they did not wish to stand whilst their neighbors were accommodated with seats. Whether this was the real motive or not we cannot say, but certain it is that Father Mackin saw the ab-olute necessity of adding to the little church, and conse- quently a transept was erected to the eastern end of the building, thus shaping it as the letter T. The original building and transept are still standing, plainly discernible, although a subsequent addition was made. After administering to the wants of his

1 By Rev. P. F. Connelly.

BORDENTOWN.

483

people for nearly five years he was obliged to relin- quish his Bordentown congregation, as the rapid growth of Catholieity in Trenton, Lambertville, Flemington, and the other missions attended by him demanded his constant attention.

The great increase of Catholieity in New Jersey pointed to the necessity of a new Episcopal See. Newark became the seat of the new diocese, and Father Bayley, secretary to the Archbishop of New York, was conseerated its first bishop by the Papal Nuncio, then on a visit to this country. Dr. Bayley is the present archbishop of Baltimore. Father Lane eeased to officiate in St. Mary's in 1854, and Father Bowles was immediately appointed its first resident pastor. No additions were made during his term, as Father Lane made ample provisions for the eongre- gation.

In 1857, Father Bowles took up his residence in Burlington, and Father Biggio became second resident pastor. Under his administration the parochial house was built. After laboring as pastor for nine years he died in Bordentown, in 1866. Father Mackin, who left in 1849, was reappointed pastor, and acted as such for three years, leaving in 1869.

The parish at this time was a very important one, the number of souls exceeding sixteen hundred. The wealth of the parish increased with its growth, and it was the unanimous wish of the congregation to do away with the old, unsightly building and erect a grander edifice more becoming divine worship. The ecelesiastical authorities, knowing the impor- tance of the place and the amount of work to be done, resolved to send a man equal to the task, and their choiee fell upon Father Leonard, the young, ener- getie pastor of New Hampton Junction. He left his old home, universally regretted by his flock, and assumed charge of St. Mary's July 18, 1869. His first thoughts, after becoming acquainted with his people, were to procure a more fitting site for the new church. A lot was accordingly purchased the fol- lowing 15th of October, on Crosswicks Street, east of Second. The new church was commenced the year following, the generosity of the congregation thus enabling the pastor to begin without delay. The corner-stone was laid Oct. 30, 1870, and two years later we find the grand cathedral-like church dedi- eated to the service of God by Rev. Dr. O'Hara, Bishop of Scranton, Pa. It is beyond comparison, although the church of the poor, the grandest and most costly in the town. The windows were gener- 31

ously donated by individual members, as may be seen by the inscriptions they bear. The grand sanc- tuary window was the gift of the St. Mary's Benevo- ient Society, and the beautiful one in the front of the church is the generous offering of the Hibernia Temperance Society.

His immediate successor was Father Hugh Lane, : present pastor of St. Theresa's Church, Philadelphia. After the dedication of the new church the chil- dren were the object of Father Leonard's zcal and He received his appointment in 1849. During his terin as pastor the sceond addition was made to the solicitude. To procure for them a good, sound Chris- ehureh, and divine service was held every two weeks. : The old church stands to-day as he left it, and is now used as the parochial school. Father Lane was the last of the Philadelphia priests commissioned to officiate at St. Mary's. tian education was his constant thought. He estab- | lished the Convent of Mercy in the old pastoral resi- dence, having obtained a colony of Sisters from the mother-house, Mount St. Mary's, Manchester, N. H. Since the advent of the Sisters a marked change has taken place in the children ; the schools are well at- tended, the number enrolled for 1876 being two hun- dred and seventy-five. In the convent there is a select department for young ladies who wish to study the higher branches.

In September, 1876, Father Leonard was promoted to the important parish of St. John's in the city of Newark. He took his departure from Bordentown Oct. 25, 1876, amidst the tears of his people, and was sueceeded by the present pastor, the Rev. P. F. Con- nelly.

First Presbyterian Church.1-At a meeting of the Presbytery of New Brunswick held in April, 1848, at the Presbyterian Church in Titusville, a memorial and petition was presented by the Rev. A. Scovel, through the Rev. Henry Perkins, praying for the or- ganization of a Presbyterian Church at Bordentown. On the mnotion of the Rev. Charles Hodge, D.D., the petition was granted, and the following persons ap- : pointed a committee to carry the same into effect, viz. : Rev. Henry Perkins, Rev. John Hall, D.D., and Rev. Daniel Deurelle.

This committee met at Bordentown on the 14th day of May, 1848, and proceeded in due form to or- ganize the first Presbyterian Church of Bordentown with the following persons: On profession of faith, John Wilson, Agnes Wilson, Mary Wilson, and John Jordan; on certificate from other churches, John Allan, Margaret K. Allan, Margaret Thomas, Mary Ann Mathlen, Mary Monroe, Jenet Baird, Amos Baird, Elizabeth B. Scovel, Alfred B. Seymour, and Mrs. Seymour; at the same time John Allau was iu- stalled as ruling elder, having been previously or dained in Scotland.

The Rev. A. Scovel, who was principal of a classi- cal school in Bordentown, bceame the stated supply, and continued to serve the church in connection with his school until the close of the year 1861. From this time until May, 1863, the church remained with- out a stated ministry.

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History of Burlington and Mercer counties, New Jersey : with biographical sketches of many of their pioneers and prominent men, Part 9

Author: Woodward, E. M. (Evan Morrison) cn; Hageman, John Frelinghuysen Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1096

Author: Woodward, E. M. (Evan Morrison) cn; Hageman, John Frelinghuysen
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia, Pa. : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1096